Cycling UK Forum

Farawayvisions wrote:It'll be busy in August. As already suggested, try going through the Sperrins. Still roads, but much quieter and absolutely stunning.
What type of accommodation are you after?
I know lots of good rural places (local knowledge).

We normally use b+b s. Farmhouses pubs etc but any suggestions welcome, just browsed your website and am very envious, note to self, must do more with my life

Apologies for dodgy spellings and punctuation etc, not the greatest typist and iPad makes it worse!!

A plan is now forming:

Maybe Enniskillen up through Omagh ,Strabane, Londonderry , then North coast to Bally castle,

Or Dungannon,Cookstown then west across to Strabane to pick up same route as above.

Third option is same Dungannon, Cookstown route but cutting across the spearing mountains north.

Any or all advice appreciated.

Would accommodation be a factor on any of the routes, B+b or pubs is preferred option.

Thanks very much Mick, sounds like sensible advice, will probably do something like that then.

Would I be right in thinking that the Belfast to Bally castle might be the busiest part and rest of the North cosst a bit quieter.
Thinking of Micks suggestion , eg going west from Belfast then North up to Londonderry and just do the Derry - Portrush ending somewhere near Rathlin Island

Thanks Mick I feared that would be the case, might rethink based on your advice

Hi all

Thinking of a week or so touring from Belfast up round the North Coast (think its sustrans rote 93).

I have some concerns that the route seems to be the A2 main road, has anyone any experience of how busy/safe it would be in terms of traffic.

Unforunately we need to go first week August, so potentially a busy week ?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated including places to visit/accomodation etc or route reccomendations.

Many thanks

Mick

Thanks for all your replies and helpful advice.
Thought I would post an after the event update for anyone that is interested.
All went well and would you believe it never rained a drop for the six days of the ride. That must be some kind of record!
We rode from Salisbury to Chester basically up Sustrans route 42, known in parts as the Mercian way. The whole ride was fantastic, challenging enough for a beginner to feel that I had earned my pint at the end of the day but nothing too radical. Plenty of tea shops and cake as well.
The rear end was ok, I think I the few training rides I did really paid off probably more in bum comfort that fitness.
I now understand that weight is everything when touring and got my load down to 7 kg for the journey. I guess some of you would still think that's a lot!!
The best news is that I'm now hooked on cycling, I even brushed off an old mountain bike in the garage and have been doing lots of local off road rides, not real mountains, just bridle ways and back lanes but I've been to places locally that I never new existed.
Thanks again for all your interest and advice, I think you may well have contributed to my enjoyment of the ride and helped me on my way to becoming a cyclist.

Thanks so much for all your help,

There seems to be some great advice which i will i will take on board. Whilst not wanting to appear conceited i might post an update after my trip as to how it all went in case anyone is interested.

If you have more advice please post as there is bound to be something i havent considered.

Thanks very much to you all, i am staggered by the enthusiastic and helpfull replies and look forward to any other advice.

ps i think i have the puncture situation and the basic maintenance covered although far from being an expert.

Hello everyone, I am going on my first cycle tour in about three weeks and would wlecome any advice you may have.
We are doing approx 55m per day for 6 days from Salisbury to Chester. I havent had the best preparation due to the weather and my only real world cycling has been about 8-12 miles a few times this winter. I have lost 2.5 stone ( im now a much more svelte13 stone)though in preparation and been working hard at the gym and on my rollers in the garage doing at least one hour every other day for the last month or so. Im not sure how difficult the ride is going to be or even if i will finish ?

We are staying in b+Bs so hoping to pack reasonably light but would welcome any advice on packing etc especially clothing as the weather looks like being much colder than i anticipated.

Also I have double sided pedals and have thought about only taking one pair of normal shoes insted of cycling shoes and extras for off bike time. \would this be a sensible weight saving measure.?

I have a nice Dawes galaxy which i picked up from a friend in lovely nick, would a suspension seat post be a sensible investement given my lack of saddle time ?

Tyre slime/goo etc, is it worth it ? surely there is a considerable weight penalty ?

Any other advice would be much appreciated as there are probably dozens of questions i should be asking but dont know enough to ask.

Many thanks

Thanks for the thought provoking reply, I live in Sheffield and have limited time off work and it just so happens the planned ride is Crewe to Salisbury. Also budget is tight so having additional cost of rail fares from Sheffield to Crewe is prohibitive.
Had real problems booking bikes on the train for the return journey but that is another story.

Thanks for all your suggestions and replies, still not sure what i will do but its great that people take the time to reply. special thanks to Phil for the offer but we have a v early morning train so 10m to the station would be an added complication.

Hi everyone

We are planning a cycle tour from Crewe to Salisbury and have a need to park a car at Crewe for a week.

We are planning to park in Crewe get the train to Shrewsbury and cycle back.

This seems not as easy as I first thought, most car parks dont do long stay for the week and not sure how secure they are anyway.

Parking on some residential street i guess is an option but a little rude for the the local residents and we wouldnt want to upset anyone.

Does anyone local to Crewe have any ideas on where to Park? I would happily pay someone £20 or so for a space for the week.

The more experienced cyclists of you out there must have had this problem, does anyone have any ideas.

Any advice very much appreciated.